COASTING A CLUTCH.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 304, 5 September 1929, Page 7

COASTING A CLUTCH.

A BAD HABIT. Some motor car drivers—and good drivers, too—have what may be described as a surprising habit on every down grade of pushing the clutch out and coasting as far along the road as the gradient will take them.

It is therefore well to warn such people that if this bad habit is indulged in frequently retribution will follow as certainly as day follows night. The man who designed the clutch on any particular car made his calculation on the assumption that this particular unit would be used " • only a few seconds at a time when gears were changed. He never contemplated that the driver cf the car

would hold the clutch out for minutes on end. As unnecessary weight on a car means unnecessary consumption of petrol the designer very naturally decided to apply the smallest ball-thrusts and fcearirgs consistent with reliability that would stand up to the job which is usually allotted to the clutch. The user, by turning his clutch into what

’ one might term a “free wheel,” is putting a strain on the thrust races and bearings for which they were never intended. For a time no trouble may develop, but like every other machine, constant abuse wilL break it down. If the driver of a car desires to coast on a down grade let rum do so, but he must slip his gear lever into neutral and allow his clutch to come back into its normal position. By this means no harm, whatever will be done to the car, but it entails just a little skill to return the gear-lever into its previous position without causing the pinions in the gear-box to shriek in agony. Whenever such “ coasting ” is in progress, it is well to strike a note of warning to drivers whose cars are fitted with vacuum servo brakes.

Every motorist who has had experience of some of these brake assisters must know that when the engine is not running he has practically to depend on his hand brake. “ Coast-, ing ” down a hill in neutral may permit the engine to stop, and unless this has been noticed the driver may receive a shod: should he desire to* pull Up suddenly. Of course, if he I* prepared to apply the extra pressure*

.j to the brake pedal and makes all the necessary plans beforehand all , will be well. On some cars, of course, the danger of an unexpected engine stop in these circumstances is ! not so great, especially on a car of which the pressure on the brake pedal that has to be applied, does not vary to any great extent whether the engine is running or not.